Apparatuses and methods including memory access in cross point memory

Abstract

Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a memory cell, first and second conductive lines configured to access the memory cell, and a switch configured to apply a signal to one of the first and second conductive lines. In at least one of such embodiments, the switch can include a phase change material. Other embodiments including additional apparatuses and methods are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 memory cells; 
 first conductive lines and second conductive lines configured to access the memory cells; and 
 switches, each of the switches being coupled between one of the first conductive lines and an additional conductive line, wherein each of the switches includes a phase change material. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material includes at least one of germanium, antimony, and tellurium. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each of the switches is configured to operate as an ovonic threshold switch. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the memory cells includes a phase change material configured to store information. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each of the memory cells includes an additional phase change material configured to operate as an access component to provide access to the phase change material. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the memory cells are arranged in rows of memory cells and columns of memory cells, the first conductive lines include column access lines associated with the columns of memory cells, and the second conductive lines include row access lines associated with the rows of memory cells. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the switches is configured to apply a signal from the additional conductive line to one of the first conductive lines. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the switches include a first switch coupled between the additional conductive line and a selected conductive line of the first conductive lines, and wherein the first switch is configured to be in a conductive state based at least in part on a voltage difference between a voltage on the additional conductive line and a voltage on the selected conductive line. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising additional switches, each of the additional switches being coupled between one of the second conductive lines and a second additional conductive line, wherein each of the additional switches includes a phase change material. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the additional switches include a first switch coupled between the second additional conductive line and a selected conductive line of the second conductive lines; and
 wherein the first switch is configured to be in a conductive state based at least in part on a voltage difference between a voltage on the second additional conductive line and a voltage on the selected conductive line. 
 
     
     
       11. An apparatus comprising:
 memory cells; 
 first conductive lines and second conductive lines configured to access the memory cells; 
 a first group of switches, each switch of the first group of switches being coupled between one of the first conductive lines and a first additional conductive line; and 
 a second group of switches, each switch of the second group of switches being coupled between one of the second conductive lines and a second additional conductive line, and each switch of the second group of switches including a phase change material. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each switch of the first group of switches includes a phase change material. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each of the memory cells includes a phase change material. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first conductive lines are located in a first device level of a device, and the second conductive lines conductive lines are located in a second device level of the device. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first conductive lines extend in a first direction, and the second conductive lines conductive lines extend in a second direction. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus comprising:
 memory cells, each of the memory cells including a phase change material; 
 first conductive lines and second conductive lines configured to access the memory cells; 
 a first group of switches, each switch of the first group of switches being coupled between one of the first conductive lines and a first additional conductive line, each switch of the first group of switches including a phase change material; and 
 a second group of switches, each switch of the second group of switches being coupled between one of the second conductive lines and a second additional conductive line, and each switch of the second group of switches including a phase change material. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein each of the memory cells includes an additional phase change material configured to operate as an access component. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the first conductive lines cross the second conductive lines at cross points, and each memory cell of the memory cells is located at a respective cross point of the cross points. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein each memory cell of the memory cells includes a memory element and an access component located at a respective cross point of the cross points. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the access component includes a phase change material.